Ranji Trophy: Ankit Kumar smashes ton, Kotian, Mulani misses out on century completion

Having dismissed Mumbai for 315 some 40 minutes into the morning session, Haryana were 263-5 at stumps on Day Two.

Haryana crept closer to a crucial first-innings lead, with defending champions Mumbai fighting a tenacious battle to stay relevant as their Ranji Trophy quarter-final at the Eden Gardens reached an intriguing stage on Sunday. Having dismissed Mumbai for 315 some 40 minutes into the morning session, Haryana were 263-5 at stumps on Day Two.

Requiring another 53 to go past their star-studded opponents, Haryana would be looking to get a sizable lead, considering they will have to bat last on a wearing wicket. Skipper Ankit Kumar led from the front, scoring a patient 136 that oozed poise and purpose, and his wicket just eight minutes before stumps would have boosted belief in the Mumbai camp.

Kotian misses century

The second new ball was claimed by Haryana first thing in the morning, though it didn’t do as much as it did on Day One. Mumbai, the defending champions, were able to add 37 runs to their overnight 278-8. Tanush Kotian, 85 overnight, fell just three runs short of a century when Sumit Kumar had him bowled. “Yes, it was disappointing, but it lasted only briefly; I had to focus on my job as a bowler, which was coming up,” the 26-year-old said. 

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The off-spinning all-rounder, who had teamed up with Shams Mulani on Saturday to stitch together 165 runs for the eighth wicket and drag Mumbai out of the woods, now has to join the crucial task of preventing Haryana from running away to a big lead. Kotian and left-arm orthodox Mulani already have a couple of wickets each and are expected to play a bigger role on Monday.

Building strong base

Unlike Mumbai’s terrible start on Day One, Haryana made a solid one, as the skipper and Lakshya Dalal scored 87 for the first wicket. Ankit and Yashvardhan Dalal added another 81 for the second. The skipper, struck a painful blow on his left elbow as he ducked into a short one from Shardul Thakur, was not just rock solid but also made sure his team scored at a decent pace. 

While Shardul broke the opening partnership, it was the coming together of Kotian and Mulani that had the Mumbai bowling looking more incisive. Mulani, using the angles and willing to flight the ball, looked the more potent one, but with left-arm seamer Royston Dias creating a nice little spot outside a right-hander’s off-stump, Kotian may well see his opportunity on Day Three.

Brief scores
Mumbai 315 all out (S Mulani 91, T Kotian 97; A Kamboj 3-71, S Kumar 3-81) v Haryana 263-5 (A Kumar 136, Y Dalal 36; Kotian 2-57, Mulani 2-59)    

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